By Michael McQuaid
Special to NewOrleansSaints.com

MAYOBRIDGE, NORTHERN IRELAND — In a postgame interview after Sunday's win against the Panthers, Charlie Smyth was beaming. Suddenly, he was interrupted by his teammate, veteran Saints linebacker Demario Davis . "They should make a movie about this guy," he exclaimed.

At the same time, some 4,340 miles away in what the locals call "the wee hours of the morning," the village of Mayobridge was struggling to come to terms with the fact that they had to sleep. You see, their local lad Charlie had just kicked a game-winning 47-yard field goal for the New Orleans Saints in what was only his third regular season game in the NFL.

Sports fandom isn't new to Mayobridge, a small town 90 minutes north of Dublin. But Gaelic sports like rugby and soccer tend to dominate. And here, you play for your village or town — the pinnacle is playing for your county; trying to win the famous Sam Maguire Cup in Gaelic Football, or the Liam MacCarthy in hurling.

Gaelic sports are played on an amateur basis and with no salary. You would play in front of 82,300 on a Sunday, and the next morning, you would get up and go to work. It's played for the love of the game and pride in where you come from. For Smyth and thousands of athletes like him, it's what makes sports special across the island of Ireland.

Yes, we have had various players make the move down under to play Australian Rules football. But a Mayobridge local moving to the United States to take on the NFL is unheard of. In fact, Smyth's debut in the NFL introduced many to American football.

To be clear: Smyth's story has transcended sport in Ireland in recent weeks. On Monday morning, news of his game-winning field goal was the top read story on Ireland's national broadcasters website. In a world where many teams now play internationally as much as they can, Smyth has taken the exposure of the game in Ireland to a different level in just under a month.

THE ROAD SOUTH

So how does a young man from a village of 1,000 people make it to Louisiana?

Enter Tadhg Leader, a former rugby player turned coach for the NFL's International Player Pathway Program. When Smyth attended a session for the first time, it was clear to Leader that there was something very special ahead.

"It was obvious from the beginning that Charlie had the raw potential," he said. "What allowed me to give my absolute all in terms of Charlie's development was his mind-set and his willingness to get better — but also his willingness to embrace challenges and things others might see as uncomfortable.

"He wanted it. He wanted to feel as under pressure at all times as possible. He had, and continues to have, a unique mentality about everything. As a coach, when you meet a guy like that, you can't help but go all in. I'm so proud of the journey that he has made."

In Mayobridge, it was intriguing to say the least. Charlie's friend Liam McManus was stunned when he heard the idea.

"When he first told us about all the kicking he was doing with Leader, we told him to catch himself on. We'd be heading for pints and he'd say no — he was going to Dublin to kick," he said.

"There was laughter between friends, but it was clear he was focused. When Charlie sets his mind to something, I don't know a more determined lad. He's fiercely competitive, fancies himself at most things, and even if you beat him, he'll still tell you he's better."

Leader took Smyth and four other athletes to the NFL's International spotlight at the Combine in February of last year.

In Ireland at least, nobody could have expected what was to come. The reality is, that after a Super Bowl — when there are no more weekly games — the sport goes quiet. Never before was an NFL Combine as publicized as Smyth's. National media and sports fans across Ireland were tuned in. When a young man from a village in Ireland decides to give the NFL a whack, it creates a whirl of discussion around the area.

"How did Charlie get on? Do you think he could make it?" I was asked in a grocery store the evening after the NFL Combine finished. "Ah, sure it will be too difficult to make it over there with no experience."

Less than a month later, Smyth was signed by the New Orleans Saints.

It's easy — and almost a real element of Irishness — to be pessimistic about something, especially when nobody has done it.

But Smyth had the experience of kicking a ball for his local club in Mayobridge, for the Down county team, and at his alma mater, St. Colman's College and St. Mary's University College, where he studied to be a teacher. With Down, Smyth won the Ulster Under-20 Championship, scoring in every game of the campaign.

It was clear that a bright future lay ahead.

LIKE WATCHING A MOVIE

In Gaelic football, kicking is a key element of the game, for both a goalkeeper (Smyth's former position) or an outfield player. Smyth took to the transition like a duck to water.

And Smyth has had his eyes locked on the NFL from childhood, staying up most of the night to watch games.

"We all watched the 2015 playoffs together," said Conor O'Keeffe, Smyth's childhood friend. "We spent days in Mayobridge playing Madden on the PlayStation after school. I remember one day, Charlie said, 'I think I could kick in the NFL.'

"It's crazy to think about it now, but he had that mind-set and focus way back in the day."

The late nights continued for Smyth and his friends — Smyth, especially. O'Keeffe remembers hearing a rustling outside his window on a Sunday night years ago. "It must have been 2 in the morning," he said. "Charlie was outside streaming 'Sunday Night Football' as his Wi-Fi was off. That just shows you how much he loved the sport. It's crazy what has happened since."

Mayobridge club is the oldest registered Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) club in the county of Down, and their local players become role models for the younger cohort. It's a proud sporting village, home to Down sporting greats such as Mickey Linden, Tom O'Hare, Shane McMahon, Francie Poland and the great Brendan "Benny" Coulter.

Growing up, Benny Coulter was one of Smyth's idols. Now, Smyth is the one flying the flag for the village and county on the world stage. "We're all immensely, immensely proud of Charlie," Coulter said. "He has done ever so well — even from the outset."

Coulter was there from the very start, managing Charlie's football cohort from when he was 8 years old until he turned 20. "He has a great attitude — and he has worked so hard at his game," he said.

"I really feel that his performances for Down during the Under-20 Championship during Covid-19 took his focus up a level. He was outstanding — his kick-outs were unbelievable. That probably got him thinking about how well he could kick and the potential that he truly had."

Thomas O'Hare, another local great from the Mayobridge club, can barely believe what he has seen in recent weeks. "Just watching all the clips back — it's like watching a movie. 'Any Given Sunday' or something," he said. "Charlie's in the middle of that. It's just surreal that a fella from the same parts as ourselves is doing that. The past few weeks it's been on in both Laverty's Bar and in the clubhouse."

"It is funny when you think about it. We were watching it last Sunday night. All of us, we are all glued to it. It's mental. It couldn't happen to a nicer person."

It's clear that for the younger generation, Smyth's journey has made the game of American football more accessible — and Coulter is well aware of how Smyth's performances could entice more children to play sport in Mayobridge and across the island of Ireland. "When I go into a local school, Charlie is a role model. He is really up there amongst the biggest role models that we ever had in the county — and long may it continue."

"They want to be the next Charlie Smyth."

They do. When stopping in Mayobridge this week, I met Dara, a 15-year-old who plays for the village's local team.

"Charlie is just such a real role model to the young people here in Mayobridge," he said. "Everyone is buzzing for him. He coached me and my friends when I was playing Under-10 football — and he was really just a nice and genuine person. When he was working in the local shop, he would stop and ask me about how I was getting on in football. I think that says a lot about him."

GAME DAY

After Smyth was signed by the Saints in 2024, he spent two years in the offseason program and 28 regular-season games as a member of the practice squad. After the release of kicker Blake Grupe in late November, Smyth was elevated to the active roster.

He has now served as the team's kicker for three games. I have had the chance to be in Smyth's hometown for the first two. Even after experiencing Super Bowls, NFL Drafts and the first NFL game in Dublin this year, nothing could have prepared me for Mayobridge.

For Charlie's debut against the Miami Dolphins, I stopped off at the village store on the way into Mayobridge. "Good to see you down here," a young man stocking the shelves said as I walked past. "Charlie is going to nail it."

What was to follow may put Davis' movie idea into production.

The entire village packed into Laverty's Bar, the clubhouse for the local team. Media from across the island of Ireland were tuned in. You'd honestly have been forgiven for thinking it was Super Bowl Sunday. Colin "Coke" Laverty had a special on for the game itself — if Charlie kicks a field goal, the entire bar gets a free pint of Guinness.

When Smyth popped up on the screens, Laverty's Bar erupted. When the Saints got the ball back in possession, there were cries of "Go for a field goal!" and "Give it to Charlie!"

At the half, the bar was buzzing.

"Do you like this handegg stuff?"

"When will Charlie be on the pitch again?"

When Smyth kicked, the bar erupted and the pints flowed. When the onside kick was made, the place celebrated like a Lombardi Trophy had just been lifted.

For Coke, it was a night he won't forget in a long time. "Sundays haven't been the same since Charlie made his debut… I was never as glad to give away free pints in my life," he said. Twenty minutes after the game, Laverty was on the phone speaking to ESPN.

During the game at Tampa Bay, Charlie's dad Leo and uncle Martin watched the game together, both wearing Saints jerseys with the No. 39 proudly on display.

Seeing Charlie kick against the Buccaneers with many friends and fans among him meant a great deal to Leo and the Smyth family. While he was in Miami for Charlie's debut, he spent the second game in the local bar. "The relief, excitement, and profound sense of what this meant to our parish was simply unbelievable," he said.

"The game-winning field goal against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, followed by the joyous celebrations — receiving a match ball from Head Coach Kellen Moore and standing in the center of the locker room huddle with his team... It is a great source of comfort to us that our small country can produce sporting heroes who help people feel better about themselves."

For Coke Laverty, the passion for Smyth and his journey is something he can see in the bar on a weekly basis. "It's just the excitement every time the Saints get down the field as they want Charlie to kick," he said. "In Mayobridge and in Down, the NFL is on everyone's agenda now."

"The older folks in the bar watch it and Charlie, but they're just baffled by the rules. It's funny listening to them cause they have no clue what's going on but they want to talk and will tell you how well Charlie and the Saints have done — and they will talk about it the entire week after as if they've been watching the Saints for a generation."

The atmosphere in the village is at a fever pitch. "Mayobridge has not won a Senior Championship in Gaelic football since 2008 — but it feels like that now in the village with Charlie," Laverty said. "It feels like we have all won the championship together. In the post office, the school, the local chapel and in the pub — it's all about the Saints and when Charlie is marching in."

As the Saints look forward to welcoming the Jets to the Caesars Superdome on Sunday, Mayobridge will be ready. A capacity crowd is expected in the local.

"There will definitely be a party when Charlie comes home and everyone's invited," Laverty said. "You never know. There might be another round of pints when it happens."

Michael McQuaid is an Irish NFL reporter who is part of Virgin Media's NFL Coverage and writes for RTÈ Sport in Ireland. He is also the host of the Irish Steelers Podcast. You can follow him on X and Instagram at McQuaidNFL.